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Going abroad or on holidays and social welfare payments

Introduction

You can get certain Irish social welfare payments and live in another
country. You can also continue to get certain social welfare payments if you
are on holiday abroad for a specific period of time or if you are getting
medical treatment abroad.

Rules

Holidays and social welfare payments

In general you can take up to 2 weeks holidays each year and have your
social welfare payment paid. However you must always contact your local Intreo
centre or social welfare office or your Department of Social Protection
representative (formerly known as the Community Welfare Officer) to check your
entitlements before planning or taking holidays. If you plan to take longer
holidays or to be abroad for an extended period your social welfare payment may
not be paid.

If you are getting Jobseeker's
Allowance or Jobseeker's
Benefit you can go on holiday for a maximum of 2 weeks and get the 2 weeks
payment on your return. You must notify your Intreo centre or social welfare
local office before taking your holiday. Some social
welfare offices allow you to apply for holidays online. Both payments can
also be paid on your return from representing Ireland in an amateur capacity at
international sporting event. You must get written confirmation of the sport
and time involved from the governing sporting body.

If you are getting Pre-Retirement Allowance
you can go on holiday for a maximum of 2 weeks and cash your payment order on
your return. If you go on holiday for more than 2 weeks you must return your
payment book before you go on holiday abroad. When you return you will get your
payment book back but will only get a payment for 2 weeks of your holiday.

Irish social welfare payments paid outside the State

If you are living outside the Irish State, the following social welfare
payments can be paid abroad:

Disablement
Benefit. The Constant Attendance Allowance increase is only paid for up
to 6 months. However, if you are abroad for medical treatment you may
continue to get Incapacity Supplement, such claims are assessed on a case
by case basis.

If you are getting one of these social welfare payments and you are going
abroad for just a few weeks, you do not have to notify the Department
of Social Protection.

If you are going abroad for a long period of time or moving abroad
permanently you must notify the Department. You will be asked to produce
evidence to prove that you continue to fulfil the qualifying conditions for the
payment. For example, you must not be married or in a new civil partnership or
cohabitating with someone to continue to get a Widow's, Widower's or Surviving
Civil Partner's Contributory Pension.

To get your social welfare benefit paid to you abroad, you must contact the
section in the Department of Social Protection that pays your payment and give
your bank account details so that they can transfer your payment directly into
a bank account while you are abroad. Where payment is already made into your
bank account in the State, you can continue to have it paid as it is or change
it to a financial institution outside the country.

You must always notify the Department of a permanent or temporary absence
from the State and give your contact address abroad.

Payments made abroad in limited situations

Injury
Benefit can be paid abroad if you are getting approved medical
treatment.

Illness
Benefit can be paid abroad if you are getting approved medical treatment.
It can be paid up to a maximum of 4 weeks while you are on holiday abroad. If
you are going to an EEA member state you are entitled to be treated as if you
never left the Irish State, regardless of your reason for leaving the State.
However, you must still meet all the qualifying criteria for Illness Benefit
which includes submitting medical certificates to DSP.

Adoptive
Benefit and Maternity
Benefit can be paid abroad, if you are getting approved medical treatment.
If you are working in another EEA
member state you may qualify for benefit, if you continue to be insured
under the Irish Social Welfare Acts. If you are from an EU country, you can get
Maternity Benefit or Adoptive Benefit for any period of your maternity/adoptive
leave spent in another EU country.

Jobseeker's
Benefit (JB) may be transferred to another EEA member state for up to 13
weeks (78 days), if you are looking for work there. You must be getting
Jobseeker's Benefit for 4 weeks before you can transfer it to another EEA
member state. From 1 May 2010 new EU
Regulations came into effect (pdf) which mean that if you apply to transfer
your Jobseeker's Benefit, it will be paid directly to you. If an Increase for a
Qualified Adult (IQA) or Increases for Qualified Children (IQC) are being paid
you continue to be paid these in the normal way (whether your dependents travel
abroad with you or not).

You are still required to register with the employment services of the
country where you have gone to look for work within a week. If you are leaving
Ireland to move to Northern Ireland or Britain your Intreo centre or social
welfare local office will issue you with the Form U2 (formerly Form E303) which
you take to the UK social services. If you are moving to another EU country the
Department of Social Protection will send the U2 form to your new address in
that EU country.

You may transfer your JB payment more than once while you are unemployed
provided you do not exceed the maximum period of 13 weeks.

Carer's
Benefit can be paid if you accompany the person you are caring for abroad
to get medical treatment. You can also go abroad on a respite break for a
maximum of 3 weeks. Carer's Benefit may be paid to a carer resident in any
country within the EU who is providing full-time care and attention to another
person in that country, provided the qualifying conditions have been met in
relation to the Carer's Benefit legislation.

The following payments are not paid outside the State

Rent
Supplement is not normally payable while you are outside the country. You
should contact the officer dealing with your claim if you intend to leave the
country, even for a short absence. Payment may be made in certain circumstances
for short absences from the country, such as holidays etc., if the officer
dealing with your claims agrees to it.

The following payments are not paid if you are outside the State but there
are some exceptions depending on your circumstances

Deserted Wife's Benefit can be paid up to a maximum of 3 weeks.

Carer's
Allowance can be paid if you accompany the person you are caring for abroad
to get medical treatment. You can also go abroad on a respite break for a
maximum of 3 weeks.

Disability
Allowance can be paid if you are studying an approved course outside the
State under the Back
to Education Allowance Scheme or getting medical treatment not available in
Ireland. You must notify the Department and provide proof of medical treatment
or education abroad. Under legislation you have no entitlement to be paid
Disability Allowance while on holiday. However, in practice Disability
Allowance may be paid for 2-3 weeks while you are on holiday abroad. You should
inform the Department of Social Protection before you go on holiday.

One-Parent
Family Payment can be paid up to a maximum of 3 weeks while you are on
holiday abroad. You must notify the Department in advance that you are going
abroad.

Child
Benefit can be paid to volunteer development workers and members of the
Irish Defence Forces or Irish Civil Service serving abroad. It can also be paid
if you are working abroad for an Irish employer and paying Irish social
insurance contributions.

Fuel AllowanceThe National Fuel Scheme provides an allowance to low-income households that are unable to meet their heating needs.

Taxation of social welfare paymentsSocial welfare payments may or may not be deemed taxable in Ireland. Information about how which social welfare payments are taxable and how they are taxed.

Contact Us

If you have a question relating to this topic you can contact the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0761 07 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm) or you can visit your local Citizens Information Centre.